Tamper-proof shipping bag



.0. G. WHEELER TAMPER-PROOF SHIPPING BAG July 15,1958

Filed Feb. 2, 1956 United States Patent lice 2,843,309 --ltatented-July 15, 1958 TAMPER-PROOF SHIPPING BAG Oscar G. Wheeler, Newton, Mass., assignor to H. J. Dowd Cl?. Inc., Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Massac usetts Application February 2, 1956, Serial No. 563,060

1 Claim. (Cl. 229-62) This invention relates to containers :for shipment of mail, and for similar uses, and more particularly to containers of the bag type.

The principal object of the invention is to produce a bag which can be readily closed in such a manner that the contents cannot be removed or tampered with during shipment, which cannot be reopened except by cutting, which is flat and compact in the region of the closure, and which is sufficiently inexpensive to be disposable after a single use so that it need not be returned to the point of shipment. Other advantages and novel features of the bag will be apparent from the description which follows.

In the drawings illustrating the invention:

Fig. l is a front view, partly broken away, of a closed bag yconstructed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view, partly broken away, of the bag of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary rear view of the closure of the bag in open position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary rear view `of a modified form of closure in open position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front view of the closure of Fig. 4 in closed position;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side view of a bag employing the closure of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is a cross-section, considerably enlarged, taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

The bag, generally indicated by the numeral 10, is of conventional construction as to its body portion, consisting of flat front and rear walls 11 and 12 connected by bellows type of side walls, one of which, 13, s shown partly opened out in Fig. 2. The bottom is closed by a reinforcing strip 14 which may be secured by stitching, stapling, or other suitable fastening. The bag may be constructed of any suitable material such as heavy paper, cloth, or plastic sheeting, and may be made up of a single ply, or two or more plies, of the same or different materials.

The upper end of the bag, before use, is open, the margins 11a and 12a defining the mouth through which the contents may be inserted. These margins are provided, respectively, with sets of registering holes 15 and 16. In the form of closure illustrated in Figs. l, 2, 3 and 7, margins 11a and 12a are folded over parallel to the adjoining regions 11b and 12b of walls 11 and 12, and these regions are provided with sets of holes 17 and 18 which register with holes 15 and 16 when the margins 11a and 12a are folded down.

A strip 19, of paper or similar material, having three portions 19a, 19b and 19e is applied to the bag as shown in Fig. 3. Portions 1917 and 19C carry mating elements 20 and 21 of snap fasteners of a type to be later described. Portion 19b is preferably secured to portion 12b of the bag by adhesive, with elements 21 projecting through holes 17, 18. Elements 20 will then register with holes 15, 16. Alternatively, strip 19 may be sepa- 2 rate fromrthe `bag and maybe applied Vin-the proper position when desired. Portion 19aVV has a set of holes 22 arranged to register with holes 15 and 16 when the `closure is completed. To-close `the bag, portion 19h is folded lover margins 11a and 12a, the latter, along with portion 19b, are folded down as shown in Fig. 7, and the fastener elements 20 and 21 are engaged.

The type of fastener used in connection with this bag closure is a self-locking snap type which is illustrated in detail in Fig. 7. The element 21 consists of a receptacle 22 which is clinched to strip portion ll9c by a retaining eye 23. The receptacle narrows down at the lefthand end and a single coil 24 lof spring wire is located inside it. The element 20 consists of a male member 25 which flares outward toward the right-hand end and which is clinched to strip portion 19b by a retaining eye 26. The male portion 25 can be readily snapped past spring 24 into the receptacle 22. Once the parts are engaged, however, they cannot be separated because the spring coil 24 tends to become wedged between the members 25 and 22 due to their tapered shape. This type of fastener cannot be reopened once it has been closed. When the bag closure is completed, as shown in Fig. 7, the mouth of the bag is entirely covered by the strip 19 which is permanently held in place by the snap fasteners. The bag thus cannot be opened except by cutting through one of the Walls or cutting olf the closure itself and, furthermore, there is no way in which the contents of the bag can be tampered with during shipment.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the upper margins 11a and 12a are provided with holes as in the modification previously described, but a narrower strip 27 consisting of two portions 27a and 2711 is used to make the closure. These portions carry the elements 20 and 21, respectively, of the snap fasteners. Portion 27b may be secured to the Wall 12 along portion 12a by adhesive with the fastener elements 21 projecting through the holes 16. To close the bag', the margins 11a and 12a are brought together and strip 27 is folded over so that the snap fastener elements 20 and 21 can be engaged through holes 15 and 16. In this modification, as in that previously described, the mouth of the bag is completely covered by the strip which is permanently fixed in place by the fasteners.

Either of the closures here described produces a flat end on the bag which is symmetrical with the flat bottom end and thus does not interfere with convenient stacking of the bags, one on the other. The closures may be very quickly secured, and once the bag is closed the contents are safe from pilferage. The bags are made of sufficiently tough material to resist normal wear but may be made cheaply enough so that they can be discarded after a single use. This eliminates the problem of returning empty bags to the point of shipment, as has been the practice in the past.

What is claimed is:

A closure, for a bag having an upper edge, and upper margins defining a mouth and adapted to be disposed flat against each other when the bag is closed, comprising a strip having a lirst strip portion secured to said bag along one of said margins and second and third strip portions, all said strip portions being 0f equal width and said strip having a first fold line between said first and second strip portions and a second fold line between said second and third strip portions, said upper edge being disposed along said second fold line, and selflocking fasteners having a rst set of elements attached to said first strip portion and a second set of mating ele ments attached to said second strip portion and engageable with the first set when the strip is folded along said rst fold line, -said margins and said third strip por- 3l 4 tion having sets of openings disposed to register with and 1,677,867 LlOyd July 17, 1928 receive said fastener elements when the strip is folded 2,355,786 Dreher etal. Aug. 15, 1944 along both said fold lines. 2,421,067 Howe May 27, 1947 2,480,500 Moore Aug. 30, 1949 References Cited in the le of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 233,863 switzerland Feb. 16, 194s 1,451,612 Hausner Apr. 10, 1923 149,354 Sweden Jan. 13, 1955 

